Jen Adams Named New Head Lacrosse Coach at Loyola

BALTIMORE – Loyola College has named Jen Adams, the leading scorer in NCAA history, as its seventh women's lacrosse coach of all-time, Greyhounds Director of Athletics Joe Boylan announced today. Adams, who has served the University of Maryland as associate head coach for the past two seasons, will assume the role as the Greyhounds Head Coach effective immediately.

“This is a wonderful day for Loyola College and Loyola Greyhounds athletics,” Boylan said. “The best young coach in America is joining the Greyhounds family. Jen combines an amazing talent as a student-athlete and a coach, and we are looking forward to her contributions to our program. I would like to thank the College, and (Loyola Vice President of Student Development/Dean of Students) Susan Donovan in particular, for their extraordinary support in this effort. (Associate Director of Athletics) Teddi Burns did a marvelous job in leading this search, and we identified and found the coach we want to lead our women's lacrosse team.”

Adams, 28, will be a head coach for the first time at Loyola, although her coaching and playing days have prepared her well for the position. “We identified Jen as a candidate who we felt would be an exciting and dynamic leader of our program,” Burns said. “Through the process, it became clear that she is the person we want in this position, and we are thrilled she will become a Greyhound.” In addition to coaching at her alma mater, Adams was an assistant coach to current Maryland Head Coach Cathy Reese at the University of Denver from 2004-2006.

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” Adams said. “I had the chance to meet with the staff and many of the players and feel extremely confident and excited to be able to work within such a welcoming family atmosphere. I am looking forward to taking this next step in my professional career at Loyola. I appreciate this amazing opportunity that Joe Boylan and Teddi Burns have given me. I am looking forward to working with them to guide these student-athletes through their collegiate careers both in the classroom and on the field. I would also like to thank (Loyola President) Father (Brian) Linnane and many of his senior council for supporting me in this exciting next phase of Loyola Women's Lacrosse.”

At Maryland, Adams rejuvenated the Terrapins offense to play in her up-tempo attacking style. In her first season as associate head coach, Maryland scored 287 goals, the most it had recorded in a season since 2001, Adams' senior year as a student-athlete. In 2008, Adams helped Maryland ascend to a No. 2 rank nationally. The Terrapins, who finished with an 18-3 record, scored an average of 14.9 goals per game, sixth nationally, and were second in Division I with 477 total points. Two Maryland student-athletes finished in the top 50 nationally in goals per game, and three were in that same range for assists per game.

“I am very excited for Jen; this is a great opportunity for her,” Maryland Head Coach Cathy Reese said. “While we will miss her at Maryland, she is going to make a huge impact on the lives of the student-athletes at Loyola. Not only was Jen a great player, and she is an excellent coach, but she is a special person. I will miss her, but she is going to do great things.”

Adams put together arguably the best collegiate lacrosse career of any player in the collegiate ranks during her tenure at Maryland from 1997-2001. She racked up honors like she scored goals and recorded assists and was named to the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse 25th Anniversary Team in April 2007. The Brighton, South Australia native, was named the three-time national player of the year and was the first recipient of the Tewaaraton Trophy in 2001.